By Dr. Terry Mazanec and Justin Krieger, Esq. Special to The Digest Early movers in a new field can make audacious claims and often become incredibly wealthy. In 1612, some of the first English settlers in America were able to persuade King James I to grant the “Virginia Company” a Charter to a huge portion of […]
We call it the materials superhighway to suggest an awesome speed of innovation, a connection back to the genetics revolution and the information superhighway, and a focus on the new materials, chemicals, substances, and energies of the advanced bioeconomy. That superhighway may have just found its Porsche 911 — fast as lightning, stunning design and […]
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) focuses on several bioproducts for R&D and has been assessing the value proposition of biofuels for marine engines. Zia Haq and Jim Spaeth, both from the U.S. DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, gave individual presentations at ABLC Global 2018 in San Francisco, but we’ve put them together […]
In Finland, Neste Corporation has made the final investment decision on additional renewable products production capacity in Singapore. The decision is based on a growing global market demand for low-carbon solutions in transport and cities, aviation, polymers and chemicals. The investment worth approximately EUR1.4 billion will extend Neste’s renewable product overall capacity in Singapore by […]
In Florida, local news reports that a mothballed biodiesel facility in North Fort Meyers owned by Green Gallon Solutions has begun to leak glycerin-like products that are treated as hazardous materials. The state’s department of environmental protection has called for immediate cleanup of the leaking 10,000-gallon tank that had glycerin oozing from it when inspectors […]
In the Philippines, a governor who is running for the Senate next year is calling for an E20 blending mandate to reduce the rising cost of fuel resulting from increased taxes. She claims that the current blending law wouldn’t need to be amended to facilitate the E20 policy because the domestic industry could only support […]
In Illinois, Platts reports that prices for Chicago Argo ethanol have fallen to $1.1725/gal the lowest level seen in 15 years. Healthy margins kept ethanol producers pumping out more than a billion barrels per day well past the peak summer driving season but that have since fallen into negative margins at around minus 16.41 cents/gal […]
In Brazil, Reuters reports that the most recent biodiesel auction held by the ANP saw nearly 915 million liters of biodiesel sold, down from nearly 965 million liters during the prior auction. The average price for biodiesel sold fell as well to under 68 cents per liter compared to 72 cents last time. In total, […]
In Washington, as Congress looks to revamp and coordinate federal-level policies that govern the transportation fuels and vehicles sectors, the National Farmers Union is urging legislators to expand use of high-octane, mid-level blends of ethanol in the transportation fuel supply. In doing so, policymakers have the opportunity to create lasting national policy that builds on […]
In Massachusetts, researchers at Harvard University have expanded the concept of “biological-inorganic hybrid systems” to baker’s yeast that in combination with light-harvesting semiconductors is able to produce shikimic acid, an important precursor of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu, several other medicines, nutraceuticals, and fine chemicals. When kept in the dark, the yeast cells produced ethanol and […]
